Amit Shah Clarifies: ‘No Non-Muslim Will Be Part of Waqf’ Amid Waqf Amendment Bill Debate

Amit Shah Clarifies: In a heated session, Union Home Minister Amit Shah came down heavily on the opposition parties for creating unfounded doubts on the Waqf (Amendment Bill) 2025.

As the Parliament march ends on April 4, the government brought in Waqf (Amendment) Bill at the Lok Sabha for deliberation and passage on Wednesday.

The House had a beautiful fight across both the treasury and opposition benches as the latter said all the INDIA bloc parties united to "defeat the legislation".

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The bill with amendments was presented in a motion by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. A discussion around the matter is still underway. Rijiju initiated the discussion on the bill and illustrated the provisions of the legislation.

The Bill was introduced earlier in the year and had been subsequently referred to a joint committee of parliament.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, “Where will non-Muslim members be included? In Council and Waqf Board. What would they do? They won’t run any religious activity. They would only look after the administration of property donated by someone under Waqf Law, whether it is being done as per law, whether the property is being used for the intent with which it was donated.”

Waqf boards property has grown from 18 Lakh acres between the years 1913 and 2013; furthermore due to amendments in the above act, new 21 lakh acres were added to property so total enforcement became 39 lakh acres, Shah claimed.

But at present, the latest records show zero leased properties when it was previously 20,000 properties, and where did Shah said these properties go? He asked whose permission was taken to sell these properties, calling out the corruption in the Waqf board.

“This bill aims to curb corruption in Waqf and protect the land of our poor Muslim brothers and sisters from being snatched away…” said Union Home Minister Amit Shah while addressing Lok Sabha.

“This bill will protect the land owners and will not become a waqf land merely by declaration. The land of the common man will be protected. It will also ensure that you can only donate your personal property and not the property belonging to the public as waqf,” says Shah.

Amit Shah slammed the opposition and said, “How can you deny people the right to appeal through a court? You use the public for vote bank, but we will ensure justice for them. One member said that minority will not accept this bill? What are you trying to say, and why are you saying such a thing? This law is the government of India enacted law, and this is from the Parliament and it is binding on every citizen. No citizen can dare say that they will not accept a law which is passed by parliament.”

“Modi government has fulfilled Lalu Prasad Yadav’s wish, they couldn’t; he (Lalu Yadav) had sought stringent law to regulate Waqf,” Amit Shah said in Lok Sabha.

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“Waqf is an Arabic word. Waqf means donation of property in the name of Allah. Waqf is a charitable endowment. I can’t donate someone else’s property. You donate something which is yours. No non-Muslims allowed in Waqf. The amendments won’t create tension between religions,” Amit Shah said.

"You’ve caused a commotion in the entire coach," the woman filming told him. "Try being quiet for once. Be the bigger person and show some manners." Unfazed, the man repeated her words in a questioning tone before exiting the train.

According to Shah, BJP government has discontinued hassle for national improvement from the Waqf Bill.

Shah also pointed out, regarding this amendment, 16 hours of discussion would take place in both Houses unlike the 4.5 hours spent in deliberation on the 2013 amendment.

Shah attacked Congress government in Karnataka, saying that High Court has to stop land grabbing 602 sq km by Waqf. “Land for a five-star was given to Waqf for Rs 12,000 per month. They (Congress) think that by doing this, they will win the elections.”

He continued, “Many Churches in India are supporting the Waqf bill. In four years, Muslims will realise that this Bill will benefit them. Several properties belonging to different religions were declared as Waqf property, including Chandra Shekhar Azad Park in Prayagraj. The government won’t interfere in the charity and donation by Muslims.”

Shah had defined that the non-Muslims members may also be inducted into the board and the Parishad for administrative purposes. “Can a Hindu, Jain or Sikh charity commissioner not be from other religion? You will break the nation. This Bill was not necessary if they had not amended the Bill in 2013 and made it extreme. Ahead of 2014 polls, for appeasement, they gave away prime lands of Lutyens Delhi as Waqf properties,” he said.

Home Minister Amit Shah questioned opposition parties as to why they were afraid of making the Waqf board transparent. He stated that accountability and transparency should not be objected to in the new reforms.

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